Tag Archives: amazon.com

I picked up this book in the States last summer at Barnes and Noble. After going through a period of time when I missed my own pets back at home, I decided to feed my sorrows and finally read this book. Now, here is my review. Enjoy!

Synopsis: “The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight.”

ISBN: 0385343981

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Review:

Everyone loves a good pet tale. Whether it is about a naughty dog or a curious cat, stories about animals are both entertaining and emotional. And Homer’s Odyssey, a true-life account of a naughty and curious kitty, is no exception.

After adopting an eye-less kitten who nobody wanted, Gwen Cooper realized her life had suddenly changed. When she was not blind-proofing her numerous homes, she was making sure Homer, the newest addition to her now three-cat family, was not getting into too much trouble. But, sure enough, Cooper had her work cut out for her, and realized quickly that though Homer was blind, he was more than a normal, curious cat.

Filled with chapters of Homer’s antics, Cooper takes you on a journey from kittenhood to the elder cat years of twelve. The different stories of Homer’s adventures are engaging, and whether Homer is annoying his two cat sisters, or making friends with practically every human he meets, his shenanigans are quite entertaining. Two chapters though really stuck out to me. The first consisted of Homer literally saving the life of the author from an intruder, and the second of the harrowing ordeal the author and her cats endured during 9/11. Both of these chapters were two of many which portrayed how much Homer truly impacted Gwen Cooper’s life.

The writing itself is captivating, though I did have a few issues with the author. At times Cooper came across as a know-it-all and slightly self absorbed, but to be fair, this is a memoir about her life and experiences. However, throughout the whole book she preached how important her cats were to her, especially Homer, and it seemed her entire life revolved around the care of her cats; throughout the the 9/11 chapter, she was more concerned about her cats’ safety than that of her own. So, it honestly surprised me when she ended up falling in love with a man who did not like cats to begin with. Though her future husband did eventually warm up to her three kitties, I was still a little taken aback by how unperturbed Cooper was by what I would consider a huge flaw.

All in all, Homer’s Odyssey was a compelling and sentimental read. It made me smile at the mischief of my own cat, and forced me to examine how important my own pets are to me. We all need love in our lives, and whether you are a cat-person or a dog-person, this book is for everyone.

I picked up this book at a garage sale about a year ago for a dollar – what a deal, right?! I began it before NaNo, but due to the frenzy that entails when writing a novel in a month, I left it alone during the month of November. I finally finished it before the New Year, and I am very excited and ready to share my review with you. Enjoy!

Synopsis: “Over two decades, Sapolsky survives culinary atrocities, gunpoint encounters, and a surreal kidnapping, while witnessing the encroachment of the tourist mentality on the farthest vestiges of unspoiled Africa. As he conducts unprecedented physiological research on wild primates, he becomes evermore enamored of his subjects — unique and compelling characters in their own right — and he returns to them summer after summer, until tragedy finally prevents him. By turns hilarious and poignant, A Primate’s Memoir is a magnum opus from one of our foremost science writers.”

ISBN: 0743202414

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Review:

This is the true story of one man’s life among the baboons of Kenya. Scientist Robert Sapolsky had only prepared to study the mental and physical behaviors of the baboons, but instead he found a life of adventure and formed his own primate family. From developing close bonds with the baboons, to learning the way of the Masai people (and often messing with them), Sapolsky takes readers on his more than twenty year journey through Africa.

Naturally hilarious and honest, A Primate’s Memoir is an exciting and entertaining read. His writing is quick and to the point, and his witty, often sarcastic humor makes this book that much more enjoyable. Each chapter contains a unique story, and whether he is being kidnapped and shot at, or playing a “wizard” in the Masai village, Sapolsky’s true-life tales never disappoint.

The chapters highlighting his time with the baboons were a personal favorite. Sapolsky describes each member of his primate troop as if he were describing close human friends, and even admits to developing a baboon crush, along with a special human-baboon friendship. However, it is not all fun and games, and his research of the baboons is detailed throughout, allowing the reader an in-depth look into the exhilarating, yet tiresome days of a scientist.

A Primate’s Memoir is a funny, clever, and ultimately heartbreaking account of Robert Sapolsky’s experience in wild Africa. Highly recommended, this is definitely a book for animal lovers and science enthusiasts alike.

I am a little obsessed with author, A.J. Jacobs at the moment. Back in Spain, I flew through his book, The Year of Living Biblically, and once I got to the States, I immediately bought and read another of his books. So, here is my newest review. Enjoy!

Synopsis: “Now comes a collection of his [A.J. Jacob’s] most hilarious and thought-provoking experiments yet. In his role as human guinea pig, Jacobs fearlessly takes on a series of life-altering challenges that provides readers with equal parts insight and humor. (And which drives A.J.’s patient wife, Julie, to the brink of insanity.)”

ISBN: 1416599061

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Review:

Life is an experiment in and of itself. Whether it’s when we fall in love, attend college, or have kids, each event brings a new and exciting adventure. However, what happens when we decide to go beyond these common and everyday goals, and instead intentionally experiment with the bizarre and out of the ordinary?

Well, just ask A.J. Jacobs. He has been living as his own personal guinea pig for most of his adult life. From posing nude at the request of Mary-Louise Parker, to living like George Washington, to being his wife’s servant, Jacobs lives his life as if he is constantly being studied by a team of mad-scientists. Add on more zany life-altering experiments such as being a human unitasker, having no filter between his brain and mouth, and outsourcing his entire everyday life, and you have yourself a book!

Jacobs is hard not to fall in love with. His writing is witty, organized – his notes in the back of the book are as good to read as the actual stories themselves – and he’s hilarious as hell. When you are actually able to laugh out loud at a sentence, or read a paragraph to your spouse, then you know you’re reading something good! Not to mention that he is the definition of an “average Joe” (in a good way!), which makes all his books even more interesting to read.

The Guinea Pig Diaries is one of those books that is hard to put down. Once one chapter – or experiment – is finished, the next one instantly calls as you want to see how crazier Jacobs’ life can get!

As I have mentioned, I do not follow any type of religion, but I do enjoy learning and researching about religion. I asked my mom to get this book for my birthday, and she did. So, here is my review. Enjoy!

Synopsis: “Raised in a secular family but increasingly interested in the relevance of faith in our modern world, A.J. Jacobs decides to dive in headfirst and attempt to obey the Bible as literally as possible for one full year. He vows to follow the Ten Commandments. To be fruitful and multiply. To love his neighbor. But also to obey the hundreds of less publicized rules: to avoid wearing clothes made of mixed fibers; to play a ten-string harp; to stone adulterers.”

ISBN: 0743291476

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Review:

The Bible has been described as many things. Some look to the Bible as a guide and source of rules to live their life by, while others only think of the Bible as a collection of stories and myths. Even those who believe the Bible as fact, do not necessarily follow it in its entirety. However, what happens to someone’s life when they do in fact follow the Bible as literally as possible?

A.J. Jacobs takes us on a year-long journey as he strives, and sometimes struggles, to follow the Bible as literally as he can. Interested in religion, though a self-proclaimed agnostic, Jacobs is searching to find many things throughout his year of biblical literalism. Can and should the Bible be taken literally, especially in the modern era? What happens to one’s faith when they devote their lives to the Bible? And what can be learned about everyday life from the Old and New testament?

Jacobs takes on the role of a naïve but interested student as he consults many different religious teachers and mentors to aid him throughout his journey. He takes his biblical project seriously, and tries to adhere to every commandment and lesson in the Bible. From stoning adulterers – which I laughed hysterically throughout – to using a specific hyssop paint brush to paint his door with lamb blood during Passover, it seems as if the rules never stop and his beard continues to grow.

The Year of Living Biblically is a thought-provoking and hilarious read. Broken down in different sections pertaining to different Bible passages and their corresponding rules and lessons, it is an easy read, and I had trouble putting it down before going straight to the next month’s chapter. Filled with humor and pure honesty, Jacobs’ writing is captivating, and this factor has made him my newest favorite non-fiction writer. Whether you are a religious person, interested in religion, or just looking for an entertaining read, The Year of Living Biblically is a must-read for everyone.

Synopsis: “When the Iraq war began, conservationist Lawrence Anthony could think of only one thing: the fate of the Baghdad Zoo, located in the city center and caught in the war’s crossfire. Once Anthony entered Baghdad he discovered that full-scale combat and uncontrolled looting had killed nearly all the animals of the zoo.
But not all of them. U.S. soldiers had taken the time to help care for the remaining animals, and the zoo’s staff had returned to work in spite of the constant firefights. Together the Americans and Iraqis had managed to keep alive the animals that had survived the invasion.”

ISBN: 0312358326

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Review:

When tragedy strikes, whether it is war or a natural disaster, the lives of people are everyone’s first priority. However, humans are not the only ones affected during tough times, and it seems that animals, who suffer as much if not more, are often forgotten about or left behind. InLawrence Anthony’s Babylon’s Ark, the true-life rescue of the animals in war-torn Baghdad reminds us how truly devastating war can be on every being.

Beginning with the frantic rush to try to save Baghdad’s zoo, Lawrence Anthony captivates you from the first page. His reasons for going to Iraq are honorable, and his struggles throughout his journey bring both tears of sorrow and sighs of relief as the lives of neglected animals are fought for in a city that is already fighting. However, the book not only highlights the animal’s lives, but also the people of Baghdad and the city itself. Brave soldiers, Iraqis, and foreigners are thrown together in an unlikely situation, as they not only help the zoo’s animals, but also the mistreated and abandoned animals of ex-dictator Saddam Hussein and his sons.

Lawrence Anthony writes with such passion that the 245 page book took me only days to read as I hesitated to put it down, and the pictures comprised in the middle bring all the scenes to life. The ending was my favorite as Anthony dedicated a chapter to how everyone could make a difference not only for animals and people, but for Planet Earth in general. Babylon’s Ark definitely sheds a different light on the Iraq war, and is a highly recommended read for all avid readers and animal lovers.

Synopsis: “Author Behcet Kaya, in his first novel Voice of Conscience, transports his readers to the land of his birth, bringing to life all of the sights, sounds and smells of a place steeped in centuries of tradition and exacting customs. Calling upon his own life experiences he weaves a story of love and revenge that plays itself out on three continents.”

ISBN-10: 1449014534

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Review:

In his first novel, Voice of Conscious, Behcet Kaya brings readers on an adventure of life, culture, and ultimate tragedy. Following protagonist Ramzi Jr. Ozcomert from childhood to adulthood on three different continents, an extreme story of murder, love, and revenge is creatively and beautifully depicted.

Kaya lends his familiarity of Turkey, along with his own personal experiences, to captivate readers from the very beginning. His words are descriptive, allowing you to escape fully into the story. Singing to the tune of Shakespeare, Behcet Kaya is a rare breed of modern day authors who is able to weave an emotional and strong work of literature.

Voice of Conscious can be summed up into one word: powerful. This is a book that will captivate, forcing you to read until the very end, and then going back to read it again. Behcet Kaya has truly created something special, and it is not a book to be passed up!

Synopsis: “Beginning with a blurry account of a cold-blooded shooting of a couple, singled out while having dinner at an Officer’s Club, the prime suspect is apprehended hours later while apparently attempting to flee the state. With over a dozen eye-witnesses collaborating the incident, little was left in the puzzle for the military investigators to piece together; especially once it was determined the two victims were in fact the perpetrator’s wife and the man she was having an on-going affair with. After the shocking beginning of the novel, the reader in taken on a journey throughout the life and career of the characters while interlacing the technical jargon and vernacular of naval flight training and the nuances of the military lifestyle. Combined with a steamy undercurrent of lust, love, sexual fulfillment, jealousy and primordial desires of the cast of characters, the human condition of married life versus the structure and demands of military careers are juxtaposed against the strength and will of personal upbringing and ethical behavior.”

ASIN: B006MIJ8B6

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Review:

Behcet Kaya’s Murder on the Naval Base is a suspenseful and entertaining murder-mystery adventure. Readers instantly become entrapped as protagonist, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Anderson Garrett Belguzar’s life turns upside down when he is charged with the murder of his wife and former best friend. Comprised of flashbacks, Navy life, and court room drama, readers meet a variety of characters, all intertwined to one another through the tragedy of murder.

Behcet Kaya paints a vivid picture with each descriptive sentence, while the short but action-packed chapters urge you to continue reading. After the story has been developed in Part 1, the much anticipated climax in Part 2 provides an unsuspecting twist that will keep you reading until the very end.

A story of betrayal, romance, and who-done-it mystery, Behcet Kaya has created an exciting read throughout. Perfect for mystery lovers, or for those just looking for an easy but enthralling read, Murder on the Naval Base is highly recommended.